According to the annual report of “Amnesty International”, problems for Bulgaria continue to be freedom of expression, violation of the rights of the LGBTI community and instilling hatred against ethnic minorities

Problems for Bulgaria continue to be the deterioration of freedom of expression, the violation of the rights of the LGBTI community and the inculcation of hatred against ethnic minorities. This is stated in the conclusions of the annual report of “Amnesty International”. The human rights organization has published its annual report for 2023-2024 on the state of human rights in 155 countries, reports Amnesty International.

The organization warns that the world is facing a watershed moment for international law amid flagrant rule-breaking by governments and corporate giants. The increase in armed conflicts and the lack of will to actually apply international law are the most serious threat to human rights globally. At the same time, the rapid development of artificial intelligence and the inability to introduce adequate regulation are creating new conditions for discrimination, racism and division, the report notes.

In the report on Bulgaria, the organization draws attention to the deepening deterioration of freedom of expression in the country, noting the expansion of the practice of filing strategic “slap cases” against media and journalists as a form of harassment and stopping inconvenient investigations. The organization notes the parliament’s efforts to provide better protection for journalists against such practices, but describes the changes to the Penal Code as “inadequate”. “Amnesty International” draws attention to the increasingly frequent cases of illegal pushing of refugees and migrants at the border with Turkey, the frequent cases of clear discrimination against Roma and attempts to instill hatred against ethnic minorities by political parties.

“The report notes Bulgaria’s continued inability to guarantee the rights of people with disabilities and highlights the alarming state of conditions for people housed in psychiatric institutions and social care homes. The rights of LGBTI people in the country continue to be unguaranteed after the Supreme Court of Cassation court canceled the possibility of legal gender change for trans people. There is still a lack of legal recognition of same-sex couples in the country, which is a violation of the right to private and family life,” the announcement states.

“Over the last year, we have observed a deterioration in the state of human rights in Bulgaria, and this requires greater responsibility from the government and state institutions. Broad public engagement is needed to better understand and respect human rights, as well as mechanisms for citizen participation. This will also be the main focus of the newly formed office of Amnesty International Bulgaria, together with the building of a strong network of activists and supporters and the active dialogue with partners and the government,” commented Nayden Rashkov, Director of Amnesty International Bulgaria, quoted in the announcement. of the organization.

The report on Bulgaria is available, translated into Bulgarian, on the organization’s website.